Evolution series - 1: Data Governance framework - IT Governance adopted model for Data Quality

Managing Data Quality is a corporate priority that requires close collaboration among IT and business professionals who understand data and its business purpose. In this respect, data governance and IT governance are equal, and both should adhere to the corporate governance principles of responsibility, accountability, awareness, and transparency to foster collaboration for a common goal.

Moreover, data governance helps companies implement corporate-wide accountability for Data Quality Management (DQM) that includes collaboration between both business and IT professionals. As part of the data governance process - data based roles are defined, responsibilities are assigned, and activities are identified as well as assessed. Besides establishing guidelines and standards for DQM across the organization, data governance policy and monitoring ensures compliance with data strategy and privacy laws.

Compared to the even more recent concept of data governance, IT governance has evolved from the initial concept of corporate governance. In 2000's, IT governance research proposes three elements that compose an IT governance model:

1. roles

2. major decision areas

3. assignment of accountabilities

Data Governance model derived from IT Governance model

Similar to IT governance, a data governance framework has to be specific to a given company for it to be successfull. This specific framework proposes a flexible data governance model composed of roles, decision areas, and responsibilities, which documents and illustrates the company-specific data governance configuration.

The primary focus of DQM approaches, such as Total Data Quality Management (TDQM), is on DQM activities and decision areas. TDQM only involves the information product manager, who ensures high-quality, relevant information is delivered to consumers. IT governance research is more advanced than data governance research, with the first publications appearing 25 years ago. This further helped the industry to expand its focus on roles and assignment of accountabilities apart from decision areas.

Roles and decision areas in DQM

References:

Wende, K. (2007). A Model for Data Governance-Organising Accountabilities for Data Quality Management.

Russom, P. 2006, 'Taking Data Quality to the Enterprise through Data Governance'